558 Mr. A. H. Thayer on 
feel sure that this hypothesis is absurd; and were it 
correct, it would complete a chain of seemingly perfect 
evidence. 
After we see how inexplicable it would be if butterflies 
did not either resemble flowers, or represent some portion 
of flower-scenery, why should we, in view of the endless 
variety of flower-forms, stick at any form or pattern in 
the butterfly that frequents them ? One must constantly 
remember that any pattern is less conspicuous than bright, 
unshiny monochrome. Therefore, “conspicuous” is not the 
right word for the character of patterned butterflies. 
Now since the Jthomiinew, Heliconine, and Danaine, 
such for instance as the similarly coloured cow-red and 
chrome-yellow, black-bordered Melinxwa, Heliconius, and 
Lycorea (and equally, in other colour-schemes, all the 
other so-called mimicking groups), are in every way com- 
pletely painted by Nature into these three tones,—the 
note of shadow under vegetation making their borders, 
which it occupies, coalesce with the shadow under the 
flowers, and disappear, while the red and chrome wonder- 
fully reproduce the colours and patterns of such flowers 
as Odontoglossum triumphans, who shall say that it is not 
to this flower—which perhaps, by its abundance, dominates 
the region—that these cow-red and chrome-yellow butter- 
flies owe their common appearance? Some such flower 
may be overwhelmingly attractive for its honey. 
Perhaps the most conclusive of all our evidence is to 
be seen in the transparent winged members of these 
mimicry groups. Dismorphia orise, for instance, with its 
green transparencies enclosed in a pattern of the same 
velvety dark fuscous that I have already described. What 
conceivable artifice could offer greater opportunity for 
frequently remaining unnoticed amidst flowers and leaves ? 
These little green windows must of course allow any 
bright object to show through them, while the fuscous 
cuts the aspect to pieces by representing a shadow far 
below the insect. The very word transparent wrecks any 
theory of conspicuousness or adaptation suitable for a 
badge. Add to this the present belief that the trans- 
parency has been attained through selection, and ought not 
those who hold this theory to believe that concealment 
was obviously the goal of a change toward invisibility ? 
It is hard to conceive of a better device for representing 
little green leaves than by these glossy green, leaf-shaped, 
